TyG Index May Help Assess Metabolic Risk After CABG: Study

A new study published in the journal of Frontiers in Endocrinology showed that the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index could act as an uncomplicated and easily reachable additional indicator of metabolic risk in individuals after undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

CABG is a well-known method for treating severe coronary artery disease, but postoperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) are still common. Insulin resistance plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk. The TyG index, an inexpensive substitute marker for insulin resistance, is linked to negative cardiovascular results. However, its predictive value after CABG is not completely understood. This research systematically examined the connection between the TyG index and postoperative MACE in CABG patients, exploring its potential predictive usefulness.

This meta-analysis and systematic review adhered to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The search, conducted until July 10, 2026, across four databases, focused on studies exploring the correlation between the TyG index and postoperative outcomes following CABG. The main effect estimates for MACE were determined using multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Separate analyses were carried out for each incremental increase of one unit in the TyG index and for TyG index tertiles.

6 studies that looked back at past events, involving a total of 5,978 participants and four distinct sets of participants, were reviewed, including two studies that were conducted at multiple locations. Each incremental rise in the TyG indicator was linked to a 62.4% increased likelihood of MACE (HR: 1.624, 95% CI: 1.349-1.955). When compared to the group in the lowest one-third, the group in the highest one-third demonstrated a significantly greater likelihood of MACE (HR = 2.093, 95% CI: 1.635-2.680).

A higher TyG indicator was connected to increased chances of MACE (OR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.97-3.40). Furthermore, a higher TyG indicator was linked to a heightened risk of death from any cause, as well as experiencing a stroke or heart attack that was not fatal, but it did not show a connection to the need for revascularization.

In patients having CABG, a greater TyG index was linked to a higher likelihood of experiencing MACE in adjusted time-to-event and supportive event-based analyses. The TyG index was also connected to increased risks of all-cause mortality, nonfatal stroke, and nonfatal heart attack, though the link with revascularization was not found to be statistically significant.

Source:

Zhang, Y., Zeng, Y., Ning, Y., Wang, H., Yang, X., Liao, X., & Zhang, Z. (2026). Triglyceride-glucose index as a metabolic risk marker for adverse outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 17(1909829), 1909829. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1909829